PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — State regulators have set a new timetable for considering whether to permit a wind farm proposed in central South Dakota.

The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday approved a schedule for North Bend Wind.

Utility company Engie wants the commission’s permission to erect up to 71 turbines totaling 200 megawatts of capacity in western Hyde and eastern Hughes counties.

The towers would be on private land in Butte, Chapelle, Harrold, Holabird, Pleasant Valley, Pratt, and Webster townships approximately two miles south of Harrold.

The commission held a public meeting on the project August 11, 2021, and set the first procedural schedule through an order dated November 1, 2021.

But that plan was put off indefinitely as the project worked to get a Hughes County conditional-use permit. After that step was wrapped up, the state commission’s staff began working on a new procedural schedule.

The latest plan calls for a series of steps leading to a December 13-14 evidentiary hearing in front of the commission.

Aaron Scheibe, a Pierre attorney, represented the project Tuesday. He said the company supports the new schedule. “We think it represents a good outcome,” he said.

Attorney James Malters of Worthington, Minnesota, is representing intervenors Michael Bollweg, Judi Bollweg, Tumbleweed Lodge and Bollweg Family LLP. The Bollwegs operate a farm and hunting service in the project area. None of them participated Tuesday, but Amanda Reiss, a commission staff attorney, said her understanding was that they accept the new schedule.

Commissioner Kristie Fiegen asked the sides to cooperate. “The commission certainly asks that everybody work together because it was moved back and it was more difficult because of agriculture and et cetera, so I appreciate the schedule that you put together and that everybody can work together on that,” Fiegen said.